Best Text Editors 2019 for Mac

by Yulian Rohmy / July 25, 2019

Whenever you need to edit your text or write code, you make use of text editors. They have many features in common: provide standard text commands, allow you to auto-complete and speed up your coding, customize the interface and menu, quickly find and replace text across several projects, compare different backups, and many more. How to choose the best plain text or source code editor? We've reviewed the top 5 text editors and compared their features. Have a look at the article and choose the best text editor to your needs.

It's a plain text and source code editor designed by GitHub. Atom is based on HTML, Node.js, JavaScript, and CSS and runs on the Electron framework. Apply a variety of built-in plugins and themes to customize the app's features. Alternatively, create new functionality and add it to the Atom website. It's open-source and it's available for Windows 7+, macOS, Linux and iOS.

Features

Write code faster with smart autocompletion.

Customize its features with the built-in packages.

Create new functionality and upload it as a package.

Apply pre-installed plugins and themes in dark and light colors.

Advantages

It's developed for both novices and experienced programmers.

Split the interface into several panes to compare and edit code.

Access a project or several projects in one window.

While typing, find, preview and change text in one file or across several projects.

Search, edit, convert and manage texts and source code in BBEdit by Bare Bones Software, Inc. Quickly make changes and apply them to your files. Customize syntax coloring for 20 languages and easily navigate through your code. It's suitable for users who just want to write text and application developers. BBedit works only on macOS. You have access to all the features for 30 days, after that you can still use it for free or purchase the extended version at $49.99.

Brackets by Adobe is an open-source text editor for front-end developers and web designers. It's famous for its modern interface that understands web designs. The app is better optimized for HTML, CSS, and JS. Apply a number of free extensions, edit and preview colors and gradient measurements, get code hints while typing, change the code in split windows, and many more. It's provided on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Features

Work in the web environment.

Write code without pop-ups in split windows.

Alter CSS and HTML and immediately preview the changes.

Customize the tool up to your liking.

Use a number of open-source extensions.

Advantages

Quickly edit code in inline editors.

Visualize and preview colors and gradient measurements.

Easily launch the editor in Command Line and manage it using shortcuts.

It's a standard text editor by IDM Computer Solutions. UltraEdit is designed both for ordinary users and professional developers. Perform simple editing operations, highlight syntax, sort your data, edit columns or blocks. It quickly processes large files and features SSH, Telnet, FTP, SFTP, and FTPS protocols. UltraEdit supports more than 600 languages, including SAS, Assembly languages, COBOL, Lisp, Oracle, MATLAB, etc. Download it on Windows, macOS or Linux, evaluate its trial version for 30 days, then you have to annually pay $79.95.

It's a text editor by Sublime HQ Pty Ltd designed to change your writings, markup, and code. You can try the free version for an unlimited period of time, but you have to buy a license for continuous use for at $80. Sublime Text is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Features

Get access to Package Control - a number of plug-ins genereted by other users.

Customize menus, macros, and so on.

Edit one project in multiple windows.

Choose from 22 themes.

Advantages

Use multiple selections to simultaneously edit several lines.

Easily access files using shortcuts.

Automaticaly create a project-wide index of every option.

Quickly find features in Command Palette.

Disadvantages

There're irritating popups in the free version reminding you of buying a license.

Conclusion

You see, there is a variety of decent text editors. How to choose the best one? It depends on your aim. If you need a plain text editor to manage your writings, use open-source Atom or the free limited version of BBedit. If you are an app developer and you need to enhance your code, have a look at open-source Brackets that lets you work in a web environment or commercial UltraEdit that allows you to remotely edit files and process large files.

What kind of text editor are you using? Please share!

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Comments

I've used BBEdit for many years, free version. It is powerful and some of its features take a bit of getting used to. However, for basic text editing, its great. And your files are ALWAYS saved as plain text with no unexpected markups.